Vanity case



Marcia 31 E936.

W. T. F'ARKIN VANITY CASE Filed May 27, 1935 Patented Mar. 3l, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Theodore W.

Foster Bro. Company, Provi- Maine dence, E. I., a corporation o! Application May 27, 1935, serial No. 23,586 claims. (ci. 11e-s2) This invention relates to powder containers such, for example, as vanity cases and like articles.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a vanity case or like article having a powder compartment provided with inner and outer covers each having catches successively operable by means of a single finger piece; to provide a vanity case having inner and outer covers which are so constructed and arranged that the inner cover may be swung to closed position by the outer cover, and having a double-acting iinger piece operable first to release the outer coverA and then the inner cover; and to provide a vanity case having a substantially leakproof construction, which is compact and of pleasing and attractive appearance, which is of strong and durable construction having but few parts, which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble, and which can be sold at a relatively low cost.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a vanity case constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section, with parts broken away, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section, with parts broken away, on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. is a fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away and shown in section, showing the double-acting latch mechanism and associated parts when both catches are in locking position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but` showing the position of the parts when only the catch for the outer cover is released;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5, but showing the position of the parts when the catches for both the inner and outer covers are released; and

Fig. Z is a perspective view of the catches and nger piece.

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a casing I which may be of any desired size and shape, here shown as being circular in plan view and having a convex bottom wall 2 which is integral with its curved upstanding side wall t. 'Ihe parts are preferably o sheet metal or other suitable material which may be easily shaped or worked and which is capable oi' receiving and retaining a good surface finish. A hinge I supports an outer cover lIII is soldered or otherwise secured to the bead 9 at a point intermediate the 11p 6 and hinge l, the bead 8 and nose III constituting, in effect, a cam element, the utility of which is hereinafter described.

Mounted within the casing l is a powder tray I2 (Figs. 2 and 3) having a curved bottom wall I 4 which rests on the bottom wall of the casing and an upstanding side wall which terminates in a shouldered rim l5 having an upstanding peripheral iiange I6 which engages the inner surface of the overhanging upper edge of the side wall of the casing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thus rmly securing the tray within the casing. 'I'he hinge l is preferably secured to the upper edge of the iiange I6, although it is to be understood that the hinge may be attached directly to the casing I.

The shouldered rim I5 is provided with an opening I8 (Figs. 1 and 4 to 6) and at a point diametrically opposite the opening I8 the rim I5 is provided with spaced radially extending slits, and between these slits the rim is bent downwardly and the adjacent portions are bent upwardly so as to provide a pair of spaced hinge sockets (Fig. 1). At a point diametrically opposite the hinge 4, a slot or recess 2l is formed in the flange I6 (Fig. 2) to receive the tongue E of the outer cover, and a correspondingly located portion of the wall 3 of the casing is provided with a slot 22 (Figs. 4 to 6) and a notch 23 (Fig. 1).

The inner cover or closure member 25 is formed with a radially extending bifurcated tongue which is bent, curled or otherwise shaped to provide hinge sockets 26, and a small coil spring 2l is interposed between the hinge sockets 2S, as shown in Figs. l and 3. A pintle 28 extends through the coil spring 21 and the sockets 2l) and 26 and thus provides a pivotal support for the cover 25. The ends of the coil spring 2l act against the adjacent edge of the cover 25 and the rim I5, respectively, and normally urge the cover toward open position. The tray I2 provides an inner compartment for the reception of powder and the cover 2l provides a bottom 2 `wall of an outercompartment located between the inner and outer covers.

Whereas here-shown, the tray I2 is designed to hold loose powder, the inner cover 25 may be provided with aseal or gasket. and to this end a layer of compressible packing material 33 is'clamped in place by means oi a plate 3l which is secured to the body of the cover 25 by a rivet 32 (Fig. I). position, as shown in Figs. l to 3, the fibrous packing material is under sulcient compres- -K sion to provide a leak-proof seal about the shouldered rim cf the tray, and when the cover surface of the outer cover.

25 lis opened, as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 2, its rim engages the bead 3 on the inner These parts are so constructed and arranged that when the outer cover is being swung to closed position, the bead 9 engages the rim o1' the cover 25 and acts as a cam element to effect the closing of the inner cover. The effective length of the bead 9 which performs this function includes the nose I which projects outwardly from the bead 9 a distance suflicient to effect the complete closing of the inner cover when the outer cover is in fullyclosed position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The inner and outer covers are held in closed position by a releasable locking mechanism which is normally operative to'hold the covers in closed positionl and which is operable by a single ringer piece to effect the successive release of the covers. As here shown by way of example, this mechanism comprises a resilient member 35 (Fig. '1) formed from a single piece of sheet metal or like inherently resilient material and this resilient member is shaped to provide a flexuous element having a bow-like or substantially U-shaped part consisting ofrlegs 36 and 31 and an intermediate part 33, and a hooked extension or arm 33 adjoining the leg 31.v A catch 40, having an outwardly extending lip 4I is formed on the intermediate part 38 and a similar catch 42 having an inwardly extending lip 43 is formed on the arm 39. A finger piece 45, either formed integral with or secured in any suitable manner to the part 38, is shaped to iit the slot 22 in the wall 3 of the casing, and the catches 40 and 42 are shaped to t the notches 2| and 23 in the ilange I6 and wall 5, and the opening I8 in the rim I5, respectively. These parts are so constructed andarranged that when assembled with the casing andl tray, the catch 43 projects through the notches 2I- and 23 with opening i3 with its retaining lip normally overv its lip 4I normally positioned to engage the lip 6 of the cover; the catch 42 projects through the lying the upright wall of the tray so as to engage the edge of the cover 25; the linger piece v l l45 projects through the slot 22 with its end exi- 79' son of Pigs. 4ansl 5) which is sumeient to anew posedonthe outside of the casing; and the ends ofthe legs36 and 31 yieldingly engage the curvedsurfaceV of the' upright wall of the tray and the ends of the intermediate part 38 abut the inner wall-3, and thus hold the parts in the posiiton in 4, wherein both catches are held kin locking position.

vr'When the finger piece 45 is pressed inwardly from'its normalV position (Fig. 4) to the initial position (Fig. 5.), the legs 35 and 31. ilrst spread aparta slight distance (as shown by scomparivthe catch 40 vto moveinwardly a, distance sutilfor ifs up u to become disengaged from' the lip 3, thus releasing the outer cover 5 and permitting it to be swung open.A vDui-ing this When the cover 25 is in closed initial movement the arm 39 and catch 42 have undergone a very slight counter-clockwise movement which is insufiicient to disturb the engage- Fig. 6, wherein the lip 43 is disengaged from the edge of the cover 25, thus permitting the cover to swing open by the action of the spring 31. When the pressure on the iinger piece is released, the inherent 'resiliency of the legs 36 and 31 effect the return of the parts to normal position (Fig. 4).

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those. herein shown and described, may lbe made without departing from the. spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

- 1. A casing comprising hinged inner and outer covers, a. movable member disposed on the inside ofl the casing and movable from a normal position to an extended positio na pair of catches mounted onsaid movable member and operative when said movable member is in normal position to hold the covers in closed position, and a single linger piece associated with said movable member and operative to move said movable member to extended position, thereby to effect the sucger piece associatedl with said movable member and operative to move said movable member to.

extended position,v thereby first to release the catch for the outer cover and then -the catch for the inner cover.

3. A casing comprising hinged innerand outer covers, amovable member disposed on the inside of the casing and movable from a normal position to an extended position, a pair of catches mounted on said movable member and operative when said movable member is in'normal position to'hold the covers inclosed position, and depressiblemeans exposed on the outside of said casing and connected to said movable member, said depressible means being operative to move said movable member to extended position, thereby releasing said catches.

4. A casing comprising an inner compartment,

a hinged-inner cover closing Said inner. compartment, a hinged outer cover closing an outer compartment formed between-*the inner and outer covers, a movable member `interposed between the inner and outer compartments and movablefrom a normal position to an extended position, a catch for'releasably locking the invnercover in closedposition, a catch for releasably locking the outer cover in closed position, each catch being mounted on said movable member and operative to release the covers when said movable member is moved to extended position and a nger piece connected to said movable member and operative to move said movable member to extended position, thereby to effect the release of said catches.'

5. A casing comprising an inner compartment, a hinged inner cover closing said inner compartnient, a hinged outer cover closing an outer compartment formed between the inner and outer covers. a movable member interposed between the inner and outer compartments and movable from a normal position to an extended position, releasable catches .mounted on said movable member and operative to hold the inner and outer covers in closed position when said movable member is in normal position, and a depressible linger piece exposed on the outside of said casing and associated with said movable member for successively releasing first the catch for the outer cover and then the catch for the inner cover.

6. An article of the class described comprising a casing, a hinged outer cover, a movable member disposed on the inside of the casing and movable from a normal position to an extended position, a catch for holding the outer cover in closed position, said catch being mounted on said movable member and movable inwardly to release the outer cover, a hinged inner cover, a catch for holding the inner cover in closed position, the second catch being mounted on said movable member and movable outwardly to release the innerscover, and a single finger piece for moving said movable member so as to move the nrst catch inwardly and the second catch outwardly.

7. An article of the class described comprising a casing, a hinged outer cover, a movable member disposed on the inside of the casing and movable from a normal position to an extended position, a catch for holding the outer cover in closed position, said catch being mounted on said movable member and movable inwardly to release the outer cover, a hinged inner cover, a catch for holding the inner cover in'closed position, the second catch being mounted on said movable member and movable outwardly to release the inner cover, and a single depressible nger piece exposed on the outside of the casing for releasing both catches, said catch being so connected to said movable member that the initial depression of the finger piece will release the first catch and further depression of the finger piece will release the'second catch.

3. An article of the class described comprising a casing having a cover and a releasable catch for holding it in closed position, a tray within the casing, a cover for said tray and a releasable catch for holding it in closed position, a resilient member supporting the catches in locking position and means connected to said resilient member for emng it in such a manner as t0 eiect the release of rst the cover of the casing and then the cover of the tray.

9. An article of the class described comprising a casing, an outer cover for said casing, a.v powder tray within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means for locking the inner and outer covers in closed position, said means comprising a resilient member interposed between said tray and casing, catches mounted on said resilient member and engageable with said covers, said resilient member normally holding said catches in pomtlon to engage said covers, and a depressible linger piece operative to iiex said resilient member, thereby successively to release nrst said catch for said inner cover and then the catch for the outer cover.

10. An article oi the class described comprising a. casing, an outer cover for said casing, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means tor locking the inner and outer covers in closed position, said means comprising a resilient member interposed between said tray and casing, catches mounted on said resilient member and engageable with said inner and outer covers, said resilient member normally holding said catches in position to engage said covers, and a depressible nger piece having a part exposed on the outside of said casing and operative to :dex said resilient member, thereby successively to release said catches.

11. An article of the class described comprising a casing, an cuter cover for said casing, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means for locking the covers in closed position, said means comprising a resilient member interposed between said tray and casing, a pair of catches carried by said member and normally held in a position to engage said covers to hold them in closed position, and a nger piece operative to deprem a part of said member and cause a successive movement of said catches relative to said tray and casing, thereby to eilect the successive release of said catches.

12. An article of the class described comprising a casing, an outer cover for said casing, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means for locking the covers in closed position, said means comprising a pair of releasable catches engageable with said covers to lock them in closed position, a resilient member interposed between said tray and casing, said resilient member supporting and acting on said catches normally to hold them in locking position, and a finger piece connected to said resilient member intermediate its ends. whereby depression of said nger piece effects the release of said catches.

13. An article of the class described comprising a casing, an outer cover for said casing, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray, and releasable means for locking the covers in closed position, said means comprising an arcuate shaped resilient member interposed between said tray and casing, a catch carried by said member intermediate its ends and normally engageable with said outer cover to hold it in closed position, a second catch carried by said member and normally positioned to engage said inner cover to hold it in closed position. and a nger piece secured to said member and operative when depressed to effect rst the release of the rst catch and then the release of said second catch.

14. An article of the class described comprising a casing, an outer cover for said casing having an inturned lip, a powder tray disposed within said casing, an inner cover for said tray. and releasable means for locking the covers in closed position, said means comprising a catch movable from a locking position, wherein it engages said lip to hold said outer cover closed, inwardly to a position where it is clear of said lip, a second catch movable from a locking position, wherein it engages the inner cover. outwardly to a position hinsed to. said casing at spaced points, the inner surface ot the outer cover having an arcuate beaded portion adjacent to its periphery and a Y nose constituting a. cam element engageable with the rim of the inner cover and operative to swing it to closed position, and releasable catches operative to lock Vsaid covers when swung to closed position.

W'D'FRED T. PARKIN. 

